Recliners are comfortable sofas that help people to relax while leaning at different angles. Having a recliner as a go-to spot for relaxation and rest can be a game-changer during recovery. But it can be problematic when your trusty recliner is not designed to accommodate your right arm being out of commission.
Don’t worry! In this article, I’ll be sharing practical tips and creative ideas on how to adapt a recliner for right arm surgery, so you can rest, recover, and recline in comfort. From simple adjustments to innovative hacks, we’ve got you covered! Let’s dive in and explore some useful tips and tricks!
Key Takeaways
[su_note note_color=”#ffe466″]An adaptive recliner for right arm surgery provides support, comfort, and convenience during recovery, allowing for ease of movement, reducing strain on the affected arm, and promoting healing.
To make a recliner adaptive for right arm surgery, place a pillow beneath the left hand, use an office chair as an alternative, utilize an ottoman to make getting off easier, take help from someone else to get on and off, and consult with a physician for their advice.
For your information, consulting with a physician is crucial as the severity of an injury can differ, and their expert advice can provide the best possible solution for a less painful and quicker recovery.[/su_note]
Why Making A Recliner Adaptive For Right Arm Surgery?
Making a recliner adaptive for surgery has several benefits. It provides support, comfort, and convenience during the recovery process, allows for ease of movement, reduces strain on the affected arm, and promotes healing. This way, an adaptive recliner for your right hand aids in a smoother and more comfortable recovery experience.
How To Adapt A Recliner For Right Arm Surgery?

Undoubtedly, having a recliner adaptive for the right arm surgery is beneficial for recovery in many ways, but making it adaptive is more complex. Well, the following are the methods and techniques one can use to adapt a recliner for right arm surgery.
1. Place Pillow Beneath Your Left Hand.
Make your left hand raise a little bit by placing pillows beneath. That will create a fallacy that you are using your left hand, which will help you get up, sit or lie down on the recliner.
One can also put an alternative of a pillow, like a blanket or a piece of cloth (Folded), beneath the left hand so that it remains subtle and elevated, making the hand rest more comfortable.
2. Use An Office Chair As An Alternative.
Another good option can be using an office chair as an alternative to a recliner for a few days. The office chair will be easier to handle for such a person. Although we cannot compare a recliner with a regular office chair, it can be beneficial.
You can comfortably sit and get up from the chair using just the left arm, customize the height, and push it up or down according to your need using only one arm. Moreover, you can use pillows, folded clothes, or a blanket to get more comfortability. These things can be placed onto the chair before getting on or up from the chair.
For your information, a chair can be a perfect choice for a person with a right-hand injury for the time being. Although, one must take it slow while getting on or off the chair because a bit of carelessness can be painful for the right arm.
3. Ottoman Can Also Make Getting Off Easier.
Ottoman can also be a practical choice since they aren’t costly. You can quickly get onto the recliner using an ottoman, allowing more movement of your left arm and making your life easier while getting off and onto the recliner. The right hand gets the proper rest, and the left arm can handle all activities.
Remember, to use an ottoman, you should keep yourself up a little to get out of the recliner and then use your left hand to bring the ottoman near and pull yourself forward with your left hand. That will allow you to keep your right-hand safe without using it.
Now you can do chores using your left hand and an ottoman, and they will be enough for you to get up and lie down on the recliner. Sometimes a person doesn’t lie down and is not asleep, so it will be great to relax while sitting. Another good feature of an ottoman is that it can be used as a footrest while sitting.
4. Take Help From Somebody Else to Get On and Off.
You can call somebody to help you pull over to get out of the recliner. Or someone can sit beside you to support you while getting on or off. A person can support you with his arm on your back, pulling you further to get up. Arm support will make getting up and down the recliner much easier and more comfortable.
5. Consult With Your Physician For Their Advice.
Another good option can be consulting with your physician/doctor and listening to their advice on how they recommend adapting your recliner while having an injury on the right arm.
A doctor’s advice can be crucial because the severity of an injury can differ from person to person. It will be better if a field expert looks at your situation and recommends the best possible solution. They can prescribe the best solution that will be less painful and help you recover quickly.
Read more:
- How To Hide The Back Of A Reclining Couch – 8 Bespoke Ideas.
- How Should A Recliner Fit Your Body? Detailed Size Guide
- How To Clean A Recliner That Was Peed On? (Detailed Guide)
FAQs
Do You Need a Recliner After Rotator Cuff Surgery?
Recliners allow you to lie in a semi-upright position recommended by physicians/ doctors after a rotator cuff surgery. Therefore, a recliner is perfect for someone dealing with rotator cuff surgery.
But if you don’t have a recliner, you can also use some pillows on your bed to make a bed rest and keep your posture subtle instead of hanging, resulting in a better comfort experience. It will also make the shoulder heal better quickly.
How Do You Sleep On a Recliner After Rotator Cuff Surgery?
After shoulder cuff surgery, it is not very convenient for a patient to sleep comfortably. We can improve the posture by putting a piece of folded cloth, blanket, or pillow in the folded form under the arm that will elevate the arm. Eventually, the shoulder will be comfortable, resulting in a sound sleep.
A person’s support can also be very beneficial in such cases. A person can give arm support and help to lie down without jerking the main pain point. A person’s arm support can be crucial for shoulder surgery patients as it helps them lie comfortably on the recliner. See a guide on the best shoulder surgery recliners.
How Do You Sit On a Recliner After Rotator Shoulder Surgery?
A person with shoulder surgery must wear an arm holder to keep the surface still and warm. To sit on the recliner, one can use a person’s support, like a person can give his arms support by holding the person with an injury, which will make the injured shoulder not move, resulting in a comfortable sitting.
Another way can be putting support beneath a pillow, folded pillow, blanket, or a folded piece of cloth as per the situation, whatever feels more comfortable to the person. This support will not only help the person sit more efficiently but also will help hold the arm.
Do They Make Recliners For Left-Handed People?
Many companies are offering recliners in the market for left-handed people. Now they can control all the features and have the same comfort as right-handed people. So, one can easily visit the market and buy a left-handed recliner of their own choice without having any problem.